Zeng Xingyang receives the ball and dribbles to the front court.
After a simple hand-off play with Jokic at the perimeter, Zeng Xingyang drives inside holding the ball.
Once inside, Zeng Xingyang is blocked by Anthony Davis, and he quickly passes the ball to Jokic at the free-throw line.
Jokic doesn’t have a good opportunity with the ball and waits for Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang quickly positions himself to receive the ball.
When Zeng Xingyang catches the ball, both Pope and Grant are on the move, one heading inside while the other cuts away to shake off the defense.
Pope’s opportunity emerges as he runs to the right-side mid-range position.
Ball and person arrive simultaneously.
Pope catches the ball and quickly makes a mid-range jump shot.
Pope finds such a wide-open shot to be incredibly satisfying.
"Zeng, that was a beautiful pass," Pope smiles.
"Your positioning is excellent," Zeng Xingyang replies.
Pope plays very smartly—his offense isn’t aggressive nor passive but precisely provides support at critical moments. He can see what type of help his teammates need and is always ready to step up to offer assistance. While he may not be the main scorer, he is definitely a clutch player.
Pope also feels the current unity within the Nuggets; compared to the Pistons, where Reggie Jackson’s ball-hogging style is prevalent, both Zeng Xingyang and Jokic are willing to share the ball.
When the core players are willing to do so, the team’s culture will develop positively.
Pope believes the future Nuggets truly have the potential to become a super team.
The Pelicans’ offense.
The ball once again goes to Davis in the low post.
Davis attempts to overpower Jokic again, but after a forced bump and a hop-step layup, his shot is disrupted.
The rebound is grabbed by Grant.
Zeng Xingyang isn’t worried at all about Davis attempting to play Jokic one-on-one.
If Davis wants to play against Jokic, he shouldn’t confront him head-on; he must constantly move while attacking.
It’s clear that Davis hasn’t found a way to cope with Jokic yet.
Nuggets attack again.
Grant hands the ball to Zeng Xingyang.
Zeng Xingyang takes the ball and advances forward.
Zeng Xingyang passes to Jokic, who then hands it back to Zeng Xingyang as an intermediary.
Grant steps up to block Evans following closely behind.
Anderson switches onto Zeng Xingyang again.
Faced with Anderson’s defense, Zeng Xingyang is extremely confident.
Continuous between-the-legs dribbles cause Anderson’s feet to endlessly adjust.
On the left side, Zeng Xingyang bursts forward, lowering his body to accelerate.
Anderson quickly adjusts his steps.
Zeng Xingyang changes direction to the right, shoulders bumping Anderson, quickly stepping back for a recoil jump.
Zeng Xingyang steps back to beyond the three-point line, quickly taking a three-point jump shot.
Anderson’s defense didn’t exert much pressure on Zeng Xingyang.
The score between the two teams has widened significantly.
Zeng Xingyang raises the three-point gesture, backing up in celebration.
The camera focuses on Evans, who looks extremely dejected.
The New Orleans fans feel a sense of despair as well.
Last season, the Nuggets were performing worse, but now they’re already stronger than the Pelicans this season.
Ultimately, the game ended with a score of 114 to 102.
The Nuggets defeated the Pelicans by 12 points on the road.
Zeng Xingyang posted 24 points, 16 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 steals, and 4 turnovers in this game.
Jokic recorded 26 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 blocks; Pope scored 15 points and 2 rebounds; Grant had 16 points and 5 rebounds; Gallinari marked 11 points and 3 assists; and Nurkic had 8 points and 6 rebounds.
Zeng Xingyang and Jokic’s stable performances made the Nuggets appear quite comfortable.
Just by looking at the assist numbers, it’s evident that the Pelicans’ defense was thoroughly outmatched by their various plays and collaborations.
The new players Pope and Grant also performed spectacularly, seamlessly fitting in with the Nuggets.
On the Pelicans’ side, although Davis put up 29 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 blocks, scoring more than Jokic, his shooting percentage was only about 40%. Compared to Jokic, his presence on the court was slightly lacking, making it a tough game overall for him.
Gordon scored 21 points and 4 assists, Anderson 15 points and 5 rebounds, and Ellis 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 turnovers.
Ellis’ efficiency also fell below his average level.
At one point, he was playing well, but after being blocked three times by Zeng Xingyang, his mentality somewhat collapsed.
As the game ends, Zeng Xingyang walks over to hug and high-five Anthony Davis.
Back when they played at the University of Kentucky, Anthony Davis used to come back to watch them play, and the two had known each other for quite some time.
"Zeng, you played great tonight. You’ve improved a lot since college," Davis praises.
Tonight, Zeng Xingyang looked completely dominant, definitely not like a rookie.
"Not bad, AD. I see you’re not too happy playing here. Interested in joining the Nuggets?" Zeng Xingyang goes for a direct recruitment attempt.
If Anthony Davis, Jokic, and I form a trio, I have full confidence to challenge the Warriors in the playoffs—their interior would definitely crush the Warriors.
Anthony Davis wouldn’t hinder Jokic’s performance like Nurkic does; his playing style complements Jokic’s very well.
Upon hearing Zeng Xingyang’s recruitment, Anthony Davis pauses for a moment and then smiles, shaking his head, "The management said they would find me help. I haven’t thought much beyond that right now."
"OK, reach out to me first when you’re thinking about switching teams," Zeng Xingyang says with a smile. Poaching a player can’t be rushed.
It seems the Pelicans’ management has their sights set on Cousins.
However, their combination is destined to fail.
It would take time for Anthony Davis to lose faith completely in their management.
Anthony Davis initially wanted to shake his head, but after hesitating for a moment, he nods instead.
The Nuggets aren’t weak either.
That rookie center and chubby guy are tough, and Zeng Xingyang is a reliable player on the perimeter.
Most importantly, their team atmosphere is excellent!
Playing with the Pelicans, Anthony Davis often feels lonely and powerless, with no support.
If he played with such a great team, Anthony Davis feels he might break through.
After the game, facing a barrage of reporters, Tyreke Evans turns and walks away.
He doesn’t want to be mocked by reporters in front of the cameras.
Tonight, on several occasions against Zeng Xingyang, he found himself at a significant disadvantage, and those three blocks left him unable to hold his head up high.
Meanwhile, Zeng Xingyang, facing an ESPN reporter, smiles and says, "Someone said they would test me before the game, so this is the answer I’m handing in tonight!"
"Ask him for me, is he satisfied with this paper?"
As arrogant as they were before the game, that’s how hard they’ll face the reality now.